Pope Benedict IV

Pope Benedict IV
Bishop of Rome
Coins of Pope Benedict IV and Louis the Blind
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	1 February 900
Papacy ended	July 903
Predecessor	John IX
Successor	Leo V
Personal details
Born	c. 840 Rome, Papal States
Died	30 July 903[1] Rome, Papal States
Other popes named Benedict

Pope Benedict IV (Latin: Benedictus IV; c. 840 – 30 July 903^[2]) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 1 February 900 to his death.^[3] The tenth-century historian Flodoard, who nicknamed him "the Great", commended his noble birth and public generosity.

Benedict was a native of Rome, the son of one Mammalus, and was ordained priest by Pope Formosus. He succeeded Pope John IX. In 900, he excommunicated Count Baldwin II of Flanders for murdering Archbishop Fulk of Reims.^[4] In 901, Benedict crowned Louis the Blind as emperor. In 902, Berengar of Friuli defeated Louis III and forced him to leave Italy.^[5] Benedict died in Rome during the summer of 903; it is possible that Berengar had some involvement.^[6] Benedict was buried in front of St Peter's Basilica, by the gate of Guido. He was followed by Pope Leo V.

References

1. Mann, Horace. "Pope Benedict IV." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 21 September 2017
2. "Pope Benedict IV (Benedict ) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Retrieved 19 April 2022.
3. Platina, Bartolomeo (1479), The Lives of the Popes From The Time Of Our Saviour Jesus Christ to the Accession of Gregory VII, vol. I, London: Griffith Farran & Co., pp. 241–242, retrieved 2013-04-25
4. Collins, Paul (2013). The Birth of the West: Rome, Germany, France, and the Creation of Europe in the Tenth Century. Hachette. p. 161.
5. Mann, Horace, K. The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages, Vol IV: The Popes in the Days of Feudal Anarchy, 891–999. 1925 p. 105
6. "The 117th Pope", Spirituality.org., Diocese of Bridgeport

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pope Benedict IV". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Literature

• Bertolini, Ottorino (1966). "Benedetto IV, papa". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, Volume 8: Bellucci–Beregan (in Italian). Rome: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. pp. 27–31. ISBN 978-8-81200032-6.
• Ottorino Bertolini: Benedetto IV. In: Massimo Bray (ed.): Enciclopedia dei Papi. Volume 2: Niccolò I, santo, Sisto IV. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 2000, pp. 54–58 (treccani.it)
• Rudolf Schieffer (1980). "Benedikt IV". Lexikon des Mittelalters, I: Aachen bis Bettelordenskirchen (in German). Stuttgart and Weimar: J. B. Metzler. col. 1858. ISBN 3-7608-8901-8.

External links

• Papa Benedikto IV katika Kamusi Elezo ya Kikatoliki
• Encyclopædia Britannica
• Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by John IX	Pope 900–903	Succeeded by Leo V